The state forestry tax was felled in the latest Wisconsin budget, and Republican Gov. Scott Walker says that’s going to help senior citizens and young couples.

“The state property tax has been completely eliminated,” Walker said Wednesday in a stop at Hawthorne Aviation in Eau Claire. “That’s what we promised.”

The state forestry tax had been on the books since 1931 before it was was absorbed into the general budget instead of appearing as one of five taxes that had made up a property tax bill. However, it had been by far the smallest part of landowners’ property tax bills in the Chippewa Valley. Most of a property tax bill goes for local school districts. Other portions go the county, the city, village or town and the technical college school district.